Two Fables Inspired by the Wisdom of Confucius

By Daniel Redman Illustrated by Alex Thomas

s a sophomore in high school, I began an independent study of the Confucian Analects that culminated two years A later in a commentary on the text and three original short children’s stories. Printed here are two of those stories, dealing with the important Confucian concepts of humility and the rectifi- cation of names (i.e., living up to one’s responsibilities). I am currently a senior at Johns Hopkins University, and, while I have not had the opportunity to use these stories widely, I think that they could be useful in a variety of educational settings. As a senior in high school, I presented all three stories to a second grade class as part of a one-hour presentation on Confucian phi- losophy. Overall, it went well. The children enjoyed the stories and demonstrated comprehension of the ideas. For an older class, junior high or high school, a teacher could focus on the stories as a gateway to primary source study. Each fable begins with a quotation from the Analects themselves. Con- fucian opposition to arrogance and advocacy of acting responsibly are values shared by many philosophical traditions. Because of this, the stories can be used as a bridge to comparative study. By demystifying the tradition and presenting a small part in an entertaining format, the stories aim to make Confucianism itself more accessible and interesting to an American audience. Summaries [Note about proper names: To add a further layer of interest to the stories, I chose to use the proper names of actual people mentioned in the Analects. Emperor Yao, one of the legendary sage-kings of ancient China, appears as Emperor Yao, King of the pandas. Zi-gong, one of Confucius’ primary students, appears as Zi-gong, the arrogant bird, and so on.] Min Sun and the Importance of Respect and Responsibility. Min Sun and the Importance of Min Sun is a disrespectful and irresponsible child who refuses to Respect and Responsibility listen to his parents. After being told to sleep in the barn following a particularly bad episode, he runs away to the forest where he is aster Yu said, Surely proper behavior towards parents confronted by the part-bird, part-woman Lady of the Winds (a “Mand elders is the trunk of Goodness.” The Analects of creature I invented with no connection to actual Chinese mytholo- Confucius 1:2 gy). She urges him to be a filial son and fulfill his obligations. “Duke Ching of Chi asked Confucius about government. Confu- When he refuses, challenging her reasoning, she turns the world cius answered, ‘Let the ruler be a ruler, the subject a subject, the upside down to teach him a valuable lesson. Topics addressed father a father, the son a son.’ The Duke said, ‘Splendid! Truly, if include filial piety, the rectification of names, respect, and acting the ruler be not a ruler, the subject not a subject, the father not a responsibly. father, the son not a son, then even if there be grain, would I get to eat it?” The Analects of Confucius 12:11 Zi-gong and the Foolishness of Arrogance. Zi-gong is the most Many years ago during the reign of the Emperor Shun, there talented flyer in the avian world, zooming and darting across the lived a boy named Min Sun who saw no need to respect his par- sky and earning the admiration of all his feathered companions. ents. When his father asked him to help in the garden, he would However, when he flies down to Earth to show off for some com- reply, “Pull up the weeds yourself!” When his mother asked him mon farm animals, he receives a rude awakening. Yes, he is better to help carry clothes down to the river for washing, he would at flying than any of them, but there are things each of them can refuse, saying, “Such a lazy washerwoman!” do (making milk, running fast) that he cannot. Dejected, Zi-gong One day, Min Sun was so disrespectful that his father became flies to the bamboo forest where unexpectedly he comes upon furious. He yelled at him, “If you will not act respectfully towards Emperor Yao—King of the pandas. Emperor Yao listens to his your parents under this roof, you will sleep with the horses. Perhaps story and raises his spirits with a reflection on the foolishness of you will learn a lesson in respect from them!” As he walked to the arrogance and the true value of talents. Topics addressed include stable, Min Sun began to cry. Though disrespectful and rude, he still humility, arrogance, and the proper use of talents. loved his parents, and he was very sad that they were angry with

37 him. So, he decided to run away. “If my parents think that I’m as “I will not!” Min Sun’s mother laughed as she stuck out her shameless as an animal, I’ll go live with the animals in the forest.” tongue at him. “I am not your little servant girl. Go get some rice With tears in his eyes, Min Sun set off for the forest. He yourself.” walked and walked until night had fallen and the trees and sky were That said, a rain of apples showered Min Sun from above as dark and black. The whole forest seemed to be alive with sounds. his father shook the most bountiful branch of the tree. Little Min Sun was filled with fear and tried to find his way home, “Stop wasting all the apples,” Min Sun cried. “We won’t to no avail. After many hours of walking, he became exhausted and have any good ones for market; they’ll all be bruised.” fell asleep beside a tree. When he awoke, his eyes opened in awe, “I don’t care, little boy. I’ll do what I like. We can worry for there in front of him was the Lady of the Winds. about the market some other day.” “Hello, Min Sun,” said the Lady. She had the face and voice Min Sun was furious as he ran towards the house. He tried to of a beautiful woman but the body and feathers of a magnificent make himself a bowl of rice, but he didn’t know how, and all he bird. Her feathers seemed to be made of spun silver, and her ended up eating was lettuce. talons were pure gold. That made him think. If his father was playing in the apple “How do you know my name?” Min Sun replied. tree, then who was weeding the garden? Min Sun ran outside to “I have been watching you from the sky, little Min, and I find the vegetable patch overrun with weeds. He set to work pulling have seen how you have acted towards your parents and elders. them out. Some had grown too strong, and he had to use the rake to You have a good heart, but you act with such disrespect that this pull them out. While trying to pull out a particularly strong weed, goodness will never be enjoyed by the world. It will be like a the top of the rake came off, and Min Sun fell flat on his back. jewel buried in the dirt. I am here to help you learn the right way.” “I must go to the market to buy a new rake. If the weeds “But I don’t understand this ‘right way’ you speak of. I don’t overrun the vegetable patch, we’ll have nothing for the market, understand why I must be respectful to my parents and elders and we’ll have no money for the winter.” when they are just simple people no better than I am. All this Min Sun hurried to the market. However, when he finally got respect and responsibility I hear of makes no sense, and I believe there, what he saw made him sick with terror. The usual stalls and that we would all be much better off without it.” tables had all been turned over, and the vegetables and other A gust of wind blew through the forest, and the trees shud- wares that people had brought to sell lay all over the street in an dered from its powerful force. The Lady of the Winds spread her enormous mess. “There must have been bandits!” Min Sun enormous wings. thought to himself. He was very frightened of bandits so he kept “As you wish, Min Sun. The Winds of Change have blown very quiet as he walked down the street to the Department of Jus- through the empire, and you shall have your desire. Return now. tice. When he got to the building, he was surprised to find the Return!” Minister of Justice himself locking the door behind him. In a burst of light, the Lady of the Winds vanished, leaving “Good Minister,” whispered Min. “I believe there have been only a pearl behind. Min Sun picked up the pearl, and amazingly, bandits in the market. The Emperor’s troops must be called to after only three steps, he found himself back home. catch them.” Excitedly, Min Sun ran up the steps of the house to see if “There weren’t any bandits, little boy. The people brought anything was different. “Everything looks the same here,” he their wares to the market, and everyone attacked them and stole thought. “Perhaps the Lady of the Winds was trying to trick me. their merchandise. The villagers wanted vegetables, so they took Oh well, I’m very hungry after that long night without dinner. I’ll vegetables. I myself got a very nice rake.” With a smile, the Min- find my mother and ask her to make me a bowl of rice.” ister held it up proudly. Min Sun walked around the house, but he could not find his Min Sun couldn’t believe his ears, but he had another ques- mother. He looked in the garden, and he didn’t find his father. tion to ask the Minister. “Why are you locking up the Department, When he was searching for them in the orchard, he received quite sir?” a surprise. The Minister replied, “The Emperor today announced that “Ow!” cried Min Sun as an apple hit him on the head. the Ministry of Justice had been abolished. He said that there was “Ha Ha! I hit him with an apple! Ten points for me,” said no use for it anymore. Honestly, I don’t even remember what ‘jus- Min Sun’s mother. tice’ means. I’m very busy now, though, I’m going to go steal “That wasn’t fair. I didn’t have one ready to throw. No from the Emperor’s treasury. Good-bye.” points,” said Min Sun’s father. Min Sun realized that the Winds of Change had indeed Min Sun looked up and was shocked to find his parents in the blown through the empire. But no sooner had he thought of this tree branches above arguing about the rules to his own favorite than he heard the rumble of horse hooves off in the distance. game. Min Sun had spent many hours flinging apples at people “What is that noise?” he puzzled. “Is the Emperor’s army practic- and animals as they passed under the branches of the tree. His par- ing near the village?” ents had scolded him many times for this game. Full of hope, Min Sun ran to the cliff near the market, and “Get down from there, crazy parents! What are you doing peered down into the valley below. It certainly was an army prac- playing games in trees? Mother, I want a bowl of rice. Could you ticing—but not the Emperor’s army. The banners were foreign, make it for me . . . please?” Min Sun was shocked to find himself and the screaming soldiers spoke a language Min Sun had never using that unfamiliar word. heard before.

38 EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA Volume 7, Number 3 Winter 2002 The knot of fear in Min’s stomach only tightened. “It’s the “It is rare to hear wisdom like that from such a small child. Barbarian Army, and they have come to conquer and invade the When you are older, I command you to come to the palace and empire! I must run and tell the Emperor to assemble the troops!” receive instruction from the royal teachers. You are destined to Min Sun set off for the capital. Even though he knew it become a great minister, Min Sun.” would take days to get there, he felt he had no choice. However, Min Sun did not know what to say in response to this honor. just like before, after three steps he found himself at the gates of He simply bowed lower and replied quietly, “Thank you, great the Emperor’s palace. He ran through the open, unattended gates, Emperor.” through the dragon hall, the jade hall, the gold hall, until finally he In a royal chariot led by a team of forty horses, Min Sun found himself in the throne room. However, where the Emperor returned home to his parents. From that day forth, he treated his should have been consulting with advisors, giving orders to minis- parents with great respect, and as he grew older, he became well ters, and receiving guests, there was just one person, and he was known throughout the Empire as a wise, kind man. In the palace, crouched behind the throne. he was educated by the royal teachers and rose to the rank of Urgently, Min Sun ran across the vast room to the man. He Chief Advisor to the Emperor, the second most powerful post in asked him, “Where is the Emperor? I must see him! The Barbar- the land. n ian armies are approaching, and our forces must be assembled. Where is he?” “Shhhhh!” replied the man. “What?” said Min Sun. “Be quiet. I’m hiding.” “Why are you hiding? Have the armies already invaded?” “Armies? No, little boy, there are no armies here. We’re playing a game. First, all of the Ministers hide, and then the Emperor has to find us. I’m the Minister of Agriculture. However, if you’re going to keep standing here talking to me, you’ll give away my hiding spot, so please go away! If I’m found I’ll be the one who has to go finding people.” “But . . . the Barbarian army?!” “Shhh. Get away from here so I won’t be found!” With that, Min Sun had learned his lesson. He now realized what a truly foolish boy he had been. In his anger and frustration he took out the pearl that the Lady of the Winds had left and threw it against the ground. “Enough!” he cried. The Lady of the Winds appeared in a flash of light. This time she was even grander than before. Her wings filled the room, and her razor-sharp gold talons shone in the setting sun’s rays. “So now you see what your attitude leads to?” “Yes, good Lady. It leads to destruction and shame.” “You have learned a great lesson Min Sun. I may now return to the sky knowing that you will fulfill your responsibilities from now on, and that you will pay the proper respect to your parents and elders.” The roof of the palace separated, and the Lady of the Winds shot up into the sky. The roof settled, and all was quiet. As the ministers began streaming back into the room, rubbing their eyes as if they’d just awakened from a tiring dream, Min Sun mounted the throne and spoke. “Ministers, a valuable lesson has Zi-gong and the been learned today. It is only when the Emperor acts like an Foolishness of Arrogance Emperor, a minister like a minister, a father like a father, and a son like a son that the Empire is strong and filled with goodness.” onfucius said, If a man has gifts as wonderful as the Duke Min Sun stepped down from the throne and began to walk “Cof Zhou, yet is arrogant and mean, all the rest is of no towards the door of the palace. He was stopped by a loud and account.” The Analects of Confucius 8:11 noble voice. Once long ago, high in the treetops of the Northern Forest, “This is true, young boy. What is your name?” Everyone in there lived a bird named Zi-gong. He was very talented at flying the room fell to the ground and bowed three times. It was none and swooping, and all the other birds bowed their heads in respect other than the Emperor himself. when he passed by. Turning spirals in the clouds, Zi-gong could With a wavering voice, he replied, “My name is Min Sun, spot a mouse below and swoop down to catch it with great speed. honorable and enlightened Emperor. What do you ask of me?” Zi-gong was the best, and he did not hesitate to let others know it.

39 One day, while flying amidst the small, puffy clouds of sum- Many hours later he awoke to the sound of crunching bam- mer, Zi-gong spotted a farm. He said to himself, “What lucky ani- boo. He stretched his wings, opened his eyes, and was surprised to mals live on that small farm below! Today will be a great day for find none other than Emperor Yao, King of the Pandas, sitting them, for I am going to pay them a visit. Surely, they have never before him! The Emperor was ten feet tall when he stood. On his met a bird quite as handsome, talented, and wonderful as me.” head was an enormous gold crown, and on his feet were sandals Zi-gong made one last spiral in the clouds and aimed for the made of jade and bamboo. earth. With great power and speed, he swooped down to the farm “Young friend, what brings you to our kingdom? It is rare for and perched on a fence between the horse and the cow. Standing birds to visit us.” guard outside the hen house was a large, wary dog. “I came here for solitude, Great Emperor. I realized today “Good afternoon cow, horse, and dog. My name is Zi-gong, that I have been a fool for many years. Perhaps, with your wis- and I have come here to display my great talents in flying and dom, you can help me.” swooping. As you can see, I am also very handsome. According to Zi-gong told Emperor Yao the story of his day at the farm. many birds I know, I am also a very wonderful and grand animal.” The Emperor nodded thoughtfully, crunching more bamboo in his The old cow responded slowly, “It is very nice to meet you, teeth. Zi-gong barely lifted his eyes. Zi-gong, and it is a great honor for all of us simple, farm animals After thinking for several long, silent minutes, Emperor Yao to talk to such a wonderful creature as yourself. However, I have stated simply, “The dog was both right and wrong in what he no interest in seeing you fly. In fact we have often admired the said.” birds in the sky from here on the ground. What I would like to Zi-gong looked up to the Emperor and listened closely. see is how such a grand and wonderful animal makes milk. I “He was right in pointing out how foolish arrogance is. A tal- don’t see any udders on your underbelly, so I don’t know how ent is something we can neither purchase nor give away. It is a you do it.” gift we did nothing to earn but are lucky enough to receive any- Zi-gong did not know what to say, so he responded only after way. A talent is something to be thankful for and something to be a long pause. developed. It is never something to brag about. As you realized “Good cow, I can turn magnificent spirals in the clouds, but I today, although you are a very talented flier, you are completely cannot make a single drop of milk.” unable to do many things. Each of us is like this. I can climb trees, The cow was visibly perplexed. and you can fly in the sky. Neither talent is better, but each is use- “But surely a magnificent animal such as yourself can do ful in different situations. In this the dog was right, and he taught anything that we simple animals can do. Are you sure you can’t you a very important lesson.” make milk?” “You are certainly as wise as all animals say you are, good “Quite sure, simple cow. Now I would like to present for Emperor. But how was the dog wrong in what he said to me?” your enjoyment a trick that I have practiced for many months. I “Ah, that is the most important part, Zi-gong. The dog was call it the swoop and turn and . . . .” wrong to say that to be a magnificent animal one must have every The horse ignored Zi-gong’s offer and interrupted him with a talent. You see, what makes an animal great is how he uses his question. talents, and, most important of all, if he acts with goodness and “You cannot make milk, and neither can I, but surely a grand respect towards his fellow creatures. If the horse uses his strong and magnificent animal is able to run very quickly and carry a legs to trample people, and the cow is stingy with her milk, no man on his back. Even an everyday horse can do that.” matter how talented they may be, they could not be considered Zi-gong was silenced again, and again there was a pause. good. On the other hand, when the horse uses his fast legs to help “Good horse, I can fly swiftly through the air and spot mice an animal in need, the cow uses her milk to feed a stray calf, and in the fields from the heights of the sky, but I cannot carry a man you, Zi-gong, use your superior flying ability to teach a younger on my back or run quickly. My legs are short and clawed; my bird to soar, then truly all of you can be considered magnificent body is small and weak. As I was saying before, though, I would animals. Magnificence comes from goodness, Zi-gong, because be very happy to demonstrate for you my newest feat which . . . .” even if you could make milk, run fast, and fly high into the The dog ignored Zi-gong and began to speak. clouds, it wouldn’t matter at all if you were evil and cruel.” “Honorable Zi-gong, we simple farm animals are not used to Just at that moment, a flock of birds flew overhead. Zi-gong being in the presence of a magnificent animal or even a grand ani- looked up, and recognizing his family, spread his wings, prepar- mal for that matter, so perhaps we are confused. But, how can an ing to fly. Hesitating, he realized that he had forgotten to thank the animal be so great if there are so many things that it cannot do? Emperor, but when he looked back, the great panda had already Are you truly so magnificent, Zi-gong, or are you just an arrogant shuffled away. Zi-gong smiled and flew up into the sky. n bird with talented wings?” Zi-gong bowed his head. He didn’t answer the dog’s ques- tion, and the animals’ laughter stung his ears as he flew away. DANIEL REDMAN is a Woodrow Wilson Research Fellow and senior Inter- “What a fool I am,” he thought. The wind blew coldly as he sadly national Studies major at Johns Hopkins University. Alex Thomas, a senior at Northwestern University, draws the daily comic strip “Bottom of the Food glided to the bamboo forest. No birds ever came to this place, and Chain” for the Daily Northwestern, which he is currently trying to get syndi- he knew he would be alone. It was night when he arrived, so he cated nationally. Redman and Thomas both attended Glenbrook North fell asleep. High School in Northbrook, IL where they collaborated on this project.

40 EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA Volume 7, Number 3 Winter 2002